Syracuse temple welcomes Muslim leaders at sabbath service

View full sizeLauren Long / The Post-StandardIman Yaser Alkhooly, spiritual leader (left), and Mohamed Khater, president, of the Islamic Society of Central New York (right), participate in the Friday evening Shabbat service at Temple Concord. Seated in the center is Rabbi Daniel Fellman of Temple Concord. On the far left is cantor Francine Berg.

Muslim religious leaders were welcomed Friday to a Syracuse synagogue's pulpit on its Sabbath, a rare occurrence anywhere in the United States or around the world.

Rabbi Daniel Fellman of Temple Concord said about 200 people attended.

Imam Yaser Alkhooly, spiritual leader of the Islamic Society of Central New York, and Mohamed Khater, president, of the society, spoke on the tenets of Islam, highlighting the beliefs and practices that Jews and Muslims share. They answered questions in the Temple Concord sanctuary and continued the conversation at a reception afterward.

“It was a wonderful evening of coming together and recognizing that we share an awful lot, and need to work to build the connections,” Fellman said.

While he was on the pulpit, Khater invited Fellman to speak at the Islamic Society, and Fellman accepted. They didn't set a date, but Fellman said he hoped to speak at the Islamic Society "sooner rather than later."